Forgotten Realms Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Forgotten Realms Wiki

A pheasant was a common animal of the Realms, and their flesh was often cooked and eaten.

I know exactly what I need, and it involves large and plentiful quantities of roasted pheasant, sweet subtleties, and red Amnian wine. And soon!
— Cormik[2]

Description[]

Pheasants were small birds that were hunted, and consumed by a variety of beings. They kept to dense foliage, and squawked when frightened or surprised.[3] Their eggs were olive green in coloration and had a slightly stronger flavor than those of hens.[4]

History[]

Circa 1345 DR, pheasants were considered common game, as were quail. Arlen and Pawldo of the Moonshae Isles managed to shoot twelve such birds with their bows and arrows over the course of a few days.[5]

Ecology[]

I'm bleeding like a hung pheasant.
— Amira[6]

Habitats[]

They were known to dwell in several places in Faerûn, including Cormanthor,[7] the Western Heartlands,[8] the Moonshae Isles,[3][5] Cormyr, Sembia, the Dales,[9] and the North.[10]

During the winter, they would gather beneath clumps of shrubs, such as huckleberry bushes, for warmth.[11]

Relationships[]

Pheasants were hunted not only by humans, but also by monsters such as stirges.[12] Once caught by more civilized races, they were hung and left to bleed, and then cleaned. The pheasants could then be cooked in a variety of ways.[6][13] For example, they were used in soups like pheasant tail soup, named for the three pheasant feathers stood upright beside the bowl as adornment. As pheasants were not always available, other game fowl and even rodents might be substituted in the stock.[8] As well as soups, the cooked bird flesh could be used to fill the inside of pies, as were served at the Sleeping Cat restaurant.[14] Another method was to roast the bird on a skewer.[15] Locals of Swords Meet claimed that pheasant, which was roasted to crackling, served alongside apples, dark applecake, and a layer of mushrooms was a most rare delicacy.[16] After being cooked, they were sometimes covered in gravy.[17] Pheasant and other fowl could even be used as stuffing for roasts of other beasts, as in Fendarl's Gate.[8]

Envoys of Alustriel Silverhand were known to bestow skewers of roast pheasant and wine upon parties venturing out of Silverymoon.[18]

Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold pheasant feathers in bundles of five for 3 silver pieces.[19] Maerlbar Eggs & Fresh Fowl sold live, plucked, and lightly roasted pheasants.[20]

Rumors and Legends[]

The hunters of Silverymoon believed in a mythical "silver pheasant".[21]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Novels
Darkwalker on MoonshaeSpellfireRealms of Infamy: "The Meaning of Lore" • All Shadows FledCurse of the ShadowmageStormlightFinder's BaneThe Simbul's GiftThe Temptation of ElminsterThe Halls of StormweatherFrostfellUnholyThe Captive Flame
Referenced only
Sword PlayCormyr: A NovelElminster's DaughterGhostwalker
Video Games
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of AmnBaldur's Gate II: Enhanced EditionBaldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear

References[]

  1. BioWare (September 2000). Designed by James Ohlen, Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Black Isle Studios.
  2. Mark Anthony (1995). Curse of the Shadowmage. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-7869-0191-8.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Douglas Niles (May 1987). Darkwalker on Moonshae. (TSR, Inc.), p. 365. ISBN 0-88038-451-4.
  4. Ed Greenwood (November 2000). “The New Adventures of Volo: Dragonwing Stew”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #277 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 93.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Douglas Niles (May 1987). Darkwalker on Moonshae. (TSR, Inc.), p. 59. ISBN 0-88038-451-4.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Mark Sehestedt (2006). Frostfell. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-4245-2.
  7. James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Explorer's Manual”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 12. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), pp. 101, 114. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  9. James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Explorer's Manual”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 32. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
  10. Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 14. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
  11. James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 9. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
  12. James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 26. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
  13. Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (July 1997). Finder's Bane. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-7869-0658-8.
  14. Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 107, 113–114. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  15. Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 61. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  16. Ed Greenwood (2001-08-29). Part #22: Night Ale at the Meet. Elminster Speaks. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2017-01-13.
  17. Ed Greenwood (November 1999). The Temptation of Elminster. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 1–410. ISBN 0-7869-1427-0.
  18. Ed Greenwood (1995). The Seven Sisters. (TSR, Inc), p. 19. ISBN 0-7869-0118-7.
  19. Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 76. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  20. slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 5. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  21. Erik Scott de Bie (December 2005). Ghostwalker. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0786939626.
Advertisement